A Druids Diary
by Cornelius
Summary: A diary written by my Druid, his idea of thew world of Norrath, told from his point of view beginning with his "newbie" days.
1. Chapter 1

Well. How did it start? It seems so long ago, yet, I am still young in my Seasons. I don't remember how I was born, I don't remember any parents, I just was. I just am. I am Miethoes Ambrosius, Half Elf Druid of Tunare and at the time beginning my 20th season. I am sitting in the safety of the Guard House in Highpass Hold and I ponder it all as I dig into one of my backpacks for a quill and some parchment, the same I use to map the lands that I have traveled through.  
  
I started in the well known Druid glade of Surefall in the Jaggedpine Forest, just on the edge of the Qeynos Hills outside the bustling city of Qeynos itself. I wandered the hills as a youth, chasing bugs and poking at snakes, as children do. I had several encounters where I had come close to death but people were always nearby to help and I knew how to heal myself through the use of simple magic. I even found someone whom I believed may have been responsible for my birth in some way or the other. A great monk named Buddhisatva. We kept in touch a lot and he often promised to come visit me and bring me treasure from far off lands.  
  
Eventually my curiosity grew on me. I wanted to see more. I was eager and I pushed myself. I ventured to the city of Qeynos and there learned of a rat infestation, I was told I would be rewarded if I killed rats; so, I set out to kill rats. I even managed to save enough money to buy new cloths. In my explorations one day I discovered a true goal for myself. The Gnolls of Black Burrow.  
  
I set out that very day to seek the accursed beasts. As I left the city, barely through my second season one of the foul heathens declared his Sovereignty over the lands of Qeynos and charged the very gates of the city itself. Fippy Darkpaw he proclaimed he was as he barreled his way down the road, knocking people over as he ran, some even gave chase after him. I remember seeing one Elf, left on the side of the road, broken and bleeding. His head had clearly been smashed, one of his ears was cut and Elven blood oozed from his wounds onto the ground where he lay. And still Fippy was charging down the road, I barely got out of the way, diving for cover behind a nearby tree. As I looked back I saw those famous Guards of Qeynos race out and slash at the foul beast with their swords. Blood splurted from gapping wounds as they slashed. Fippy cried out in great pain as he attempted to fight back. But then finally one guard split the beast's head with a one final slash and the Gnoll fell dead onto the road. My only thought was, "What brutally savage beasts. I must seek their den."  
  
As I ventured into the fields north of Qeynos a Dwarf named Kargoth ran over to me and started helping me. Somehow, I am not certain how, I felt as though… well… I felt as though I knew him from some other world!  
  
He gave me a couple items to help me progress in my seasons better and taught me to fight a little better by insisting I use my destructive magic more often. He called it a nuke. He was older then me by far, into his teens in seasons and claimed to be a student of the Clerical arts and a member of a guild called Guilty Pleasures. When he attacked a beetle and pulled it over for me to kill I thought the thing would kill me instead, but then he cast a spell and suddenly I nearly had most of my life back again. I managed to kill the bug and Kargoth said he had to leave, he had a meeting somewhere. I continued to hunt the beetles, snakes and rats, quickly reached a new season and found that young Gnolls wandered the fields, and that I could kill them, with a bit of difficulty but I could kill them.  
  
It was later that day that I found the vile cave in the Qeynos Hills that led into the dreaded Black Burrow. Ever the curious youth I heeded not the warnings of others as I crept into the cave. Soon it opened into a vast area that could only be described as a vast hole in the foothills that lay before the Everfrost Mountains. And the stench that emanated from the entire area was unbearable. All about the ground lay Gnoll feces and entrails. Several twisted dead Gnolls lay near the cave from which I had come. One of them recently killed, his innards spilt onto the ground around him. Another that looked to have been burned and charred by some great force of nature, one of his limps nearly severed from what must have been a brutal battle. Also nearby, the corpse of what must have been a great Warrior, he had the look of a barbarian and I wondered what thing could have killed such a great Warrior.  
  
There was a great pit in the middle that must have dropped for hundreds of feet into an underground pool of water. As I looked around I saw an outcropping of rock that rose high above the pit, and two other caves. One dark and foreboding that led further down; and another that led deeper into the mountains. Each guarded by scrawny looking Gnolls that were by far the largest I had ever seen. And they were scowling at me with such deep hatred I began to fear for my life.  
  
I sought a place to hide and backed into a nearby tree that appeared hollow. Suddenly, without warning I fell through the trunk! I landed with a splash in an underground pool of water. Gnolls stood all around me on the shore. I wondered why they hadn't noticed me yet and I began to panic. I looked around for a way out. I didn't see anyone around who could help this time. I didn't want to try to get out by the Gnolls, I was scared that if they saw me they would surely kill me. I noticed the little pond opened into a stream and I decided to follow it so I swam. Eventually it took me to a place where there were no Gnolls, of any kind, around the area so I climbed out. As I silently crept up the nearby path a Gnoll came along the other way, he must have been the biggest of them all and he had the look of a Commander about him. He saw me and suddenly stopped and scowled out me. I was too scared to even move. He cried out at me, cursing me and challenging me. I slowly began to back towards the water and without thinking I jumped in and started swimming away. He howled at me and chased me. He charged into the water and swung at me with his heavy paws. I reeled with the pain. The water around me started to turn red, from my own blood. He hit me again and I swooned into unconsciousness. He beat on me relentlessly and just as I thought I would surely die…  
  
I suddenly reappeared in the Qeynos Hills just outside the cave that led to the Druid Glade in Jaggedpine. I stood there in bewilderment wondering what had happened and then realized that I had none of my personal belongings on me, and that I was naked! I wondered if somehow they all got left behind. So, I set out again in search of Black Burrow. I quickly found the cave and raced in. I ran into the lair itself, never even realizing that the Warriors body I had seen before was now mysteriously gone. I ran and leaped blindly into the hollow tree and again fell down into the water. As I swam back to where the big Gnoll attacked me I… alas… to my utter shock I saw my own corpse floating in the water! I wondered what great deity could cause such a wonder! I pulled my corpse from the water and found all my belongings still there.  
  
Once I had retrieved my belongings I sought a way out of the accursed den. I ventured up the path where I first saw the big Gnoll and it was unguarded. I came to a door and opened it. As I peeked through I saw several Gnolls around but they seemed to ignore me. I crept along the path which became a bridge that crossed over another path, and still they ignored me. But then, as I came around a corner a Gnoll came patrolling. He saw me and howled for his fellows to come to his aid. I turned to run, but the Gnolls there started for me. I jumped off the ledge to the path below and hurt my leg, which slowed me down considerably. As I got up to run an entire horde of Gnolls fell upon me like I was just another slab of meat for them. I was brutally beaten down and again this miraculous reappearing in the Qeynos Hills. Again, bewildered and naked. And frustrated.  
  
I took off running for Black Burrow, determined to get my stuff back. I leaped into the hollow tree, splashed into the water, ran to the door and jumped off the same ledge. There was my corpse. I got my stuff back and again sought my way out, I heard people shouting at others, some selling stuff. I thought to cry out for help, but I was a Druid. I could take care of myself, I got myself into this mess so I would get myself out. As I explored the passages I assumed I would just open a door and it would lead out. I found a path that lead up… Well, I had fallen down to get to where I was, so, what comes down, must go up. I took that path, I was excited when it lead to a door.  
  
When I opened the door I jumped for joy when I saw the sky and I raced through the door, and into a pit full of spikes and several giant snakes. I despaired. Thinking I went the wrong way I turned back the way I had came and went running. Somehow, the passages and tunnels all looked the same, I wound up in another tunnel. Eventually it opened into another chamber and there stood two giant Gnolls with their backs to me. They stood there hunched over something and as I shifted silently around them I realized they were brewing something. One of them had pissed into a container and the other was mixing the urine with alcohol and various other chemicals. They were obviously brewing some sort of highly toxic beverage, what I couldn't possible imagine. They looked big, mean, and utterly ruthless looking. I realized there was no way around them. I headed back the way I had came, again. Eventually I came to the same ledge I had twice jumped off of. I decided to start over again, and jumped off. I hurt my leg again and had to stop to heal myself. They must have heard my spell as I started to cast it, for at that moment more Gnolls then I could possibly count came rampaging around the corner and fell upon me. Again I reappear in the Qeynos Hills.  
  
Well, try, try and try again. But three times? I needed to sit and think about this one. I was clearly too tired to do anymore. I had ventured into Black Burrow due to my own ignorance, and paid the price, three times. I got up and started walking down the road, one last time I thought. I started to run, as I ran along someone hailed me so I stopped and turned. She was a Half Elf like me, looked to be only a couple seasons older then me.  
  
She explained some guy was walking around the hills and attacked her, and every time she went to get her corpse back he would run out and attack her again. She said she would pay me if I helped her get her corpse back. I agreed and she led me to her corpse, as she began to drag it away someone came running out, saw me and stopped. He regarded me and then turned and ran off into the hills. I ran over to where she had stopped and she happily paid me, asking if she could do anything for me in return. I told her of my plight in Black Burrow and she tried to cast a spell on me that would make me invisible, saying she was going to "camouflage" me, but I was protected from the spell for some reason. I thanked her anyway and she ran off to meet someone.  
  
I then realized she had paid me Five gold pieces! That was more then I had ever made! I could forget about getting all my stuff back, I could go buy all new stuff and still have money left over! I ran blindly down the road out of pure zeal and excitement, never seeing the sinister looking individual walking nearby with a pet skeleton…  
  
The skeleton chased me down and as it attacked me the man yelled after it to stop, but as I slipped into unconsciousness I swore I heard him cackling to himself with glee as his pet skeleton laughed. Just before I, died, though I caught a glimpse of his name, Tovax Vmar, magically floating above his head like everyone else's. When I found my corpse along the road he was no where to be seen. I heard someone shouting they saw him attacking someone, me I assumed, and that they had just killed him. I continued on to Qeynos and bought some new belongings. Then put what money I had left into the bank. I decided I had best wait a few seasons before venturing into the putrid depths of Black Burrow again. After selling my loot in Sneed's Trading Post I decided it was time to set up my little camp and rest for awhile, I would continue my adventures another time. As I prepared my camp I began to doze off, I dreamed of being whisked away somehow, to another world? I will have to dwell on this someday.  
  
So, that is how it started. As I put my quill and my writing aside I see that night has fallen in Highpass and I can hear the cries of Orcs in the distance with the shouts of battle nearby. Someone is being chased by a bunch of Orcs and the chase was coming this way. I quickly prepared my camp for the night. Yes, my adventures will continue at another time. 


	2. Chapter 2

I just passed through the Orc camp in Highpass today. I had to camouflage myself to get by them. There was an Elven Paladin trying to slip by ahead of me, he wasn't so lucky. Three berserk Orcs and an Orc medic charged down from the cliff ledges where they sit high above, watching for the unwary to pass them by. One of the berserkers slammed a powerful blow to the back of the Paladins head and he went down on one knee, throwing his hands out in front to catch himself least he lose his balance. But he was back up, springing back from the ground, sword in hand. With one quick thrust he ran the first Orc through and kicked at another. The first Orc crumpled to the ground; it's lifeless body twitching in obscene spasms as its blood gurgled from the wounds.  
  
The third berserker came around from behind and lifted the Paladin right off the ground and crashed his frail body up against the rocks. I tried to cast my Healing on the poor soul but the Orc Medic saw me, for my camouflage had worn off. He charged me and I had no choice to flee to the nearest Highpass guards. As I ran I turned to look back, I saw the Paladin struggling to get up, but the two remaining Orc's fell upon him and torn him apart, throwing his limps in all directions and then ripped his head right off. They rammed the head down onto a rusted halberd that lay nearby and stuck that into the ground, as a warning to others.  
  
The guards at the bridge by the waterfall made short work of the medic that was chasing me. They hacked it down in seconds, their Captain even racing out to help. One slash spilt the medic's innards onto the bridge and it staggered as the Captain himself delivered the killing blow from behind, splitting the medic's head clean in two. It collapsed onto the bridge, it's brains oozing out and dripping into the water below. I turned, leaned over the railing and retched. One thing this world will never lack of, is the violence. It never ends. I started to learn that at about my fifth season…  
  
I was in the fields north of Qeynos when I hit my fifth, I was hunting young Gnoll pups at the time. Strangely, must have been through some dark, sinister evil force, Fippy Darkpaw seemed to be resurrected countless times for his futile charge against the Guards at the main gates to the city. I even managed to kill him myself once. I found him standing in the field, between the trees, a couple pups nearby. He charged me and I smashed him hard in the head with my staff and then used my magic to burst him into flames. It was his death, caused by me that brought me to my sixth season. I then decided it was time. I myself had made Fippy a martyr to his own kind, even the pups now seemed to fear me.  
  
I hiked into the hills and again sought out the den of Black Burrow. Only this time I did not race blindly into the wretched lair. This time I remained patient and scouted the terrain outside the den. I found that a number of Gnolls kept watch from the shade of nearby trees and a few more were on a hill. I knew I could kill one of them on my own, but if the others were to gang up on me? Perhaps I could use the magical forces of nature to my advantage, I was a Druid after all. I sat to study some more of my new spells, trying to understand exactly what it was they were supposed to do, I had purchased them a few days before in preparation of their use. As I was studying someone poked me. I put my book down and looked up. A human Magician, with some sort of a floating apparition at his side that acted like it was his pet. He pointed back at the Gnolls standing watch under the trees and asked, "You camping them yourself, or can I help?"  
  
"How many seasons are you?" I asked him and he replied he was of his seventh so I agreed. We grouped up and he sicked his pet on one of the watchers while I beat another down with my staff. The third charged my new friend and his pet rushed to his aid. I managed to kill my opponent, turned to see his pet's original opponent run off for help. He and his pet had the third Gnoll engaged so I chased down the one that was running for help. I brought him down with only a few hits. I turned to see the Magicians pet tearing the arms from the third Gnoll as it collapsed to the ground, dead. We came out of the fight none the worse for wear, he had sustained minor injuries, as myself had but I quickly used my magical skills to heal us both and we ran over to attack the other three watchers on the hill.  
  
They must have seen us kill their brethren because they ran down the hill yelling curses and challenges at us, we met them in combat half way up the hill. The fight was much the same as the first. I was excited and I wanted to run off to find more.  
  
The Magician turned to me and said, "Let's sit by that gray shed and wait, more will pop."  
  
"Pop?" I wondered, "What do you mean?" I asked as I ran around the hill looking for more Gnolls.  
  
He hesitated, "You know, respawn. They'll come back."  
  
"Oh!" I understood him now, "You mean they'll be resurrected, like Fippy Darkpaw is all the time!"  
  
"Uh… yeah. Right. That's what I meant. People call it a pop."  
  
And so we waited, and he was right, they sort of just popped right back into place just a few minutes later and we charged them. This went on for a good part of the day and suddenly in the middle of a fight he cried out, "DING! 8!"  
  
"I didn't hear anything, you mean that loud ding noise from the sky when we reach a new season?"  
  
"You're a role-player aren't you?" This as he brought down another watcher with the help of his pet.  
  
"Uh, I'm… not quite sure I understand, but yeah, I guess I used to roll around when I played."  
  
He laughed so loud I thought it would bring more Gnolls down on us. We waited for a few more of these "pops" and pretty soon I too "dinged". I couldn't understand why he didn't hear it; it was so loud I thought all of Norrath had to have heard it. He congratulated me on my new season but then said he had to leave. After he left I went running to tell the druid leaders of Surefall Glade of my victories and train myself in my skills. When I finished I decided I was ready to go onto the den itself.  
  
The stench was worse then I remembered. The place just reeked of some foul odor. Dead Gnolls littered the ground everywhere, charred, decayed, or just hacked to pieces. There must have been a whole army of them. Some people searched the corpses for treasure and others sat just inside the cave that led back outside. A monk was binding the wounds of someone else. I looked around in bewilderment and suddenly a shout echoed throughout the den, "TRAIN! CHUG CHUG TRAIN TO ZONE!"  
  
I was about to ask what that meant when someone nearby said, "Ok everyone get ready! Here it comes!"  
  
A Barbarian came racing out of a nearby cave that led further down into the den, he was being chased by at least a dozen Gnolls, one of them a commander and several guards. Everyone around me all jumped up, some even started shooting arrows off at the oncoming Gnolls. A few Warriors, whose wounds were still on the mend charged head long into the fray, shouting various battle cries. I considered attacking some of them myself, saw a couple scrawny looking ones that I figured I could take so I jumped on them. I had them both down in a matter of minutes, but it hurt. The fight left me severely injured, very bloodied and bruised.  
  
I managed to get loot off my kills and limped back to the cave. Several others were already there and some were still fighting. The fight was the fiercest around the commander and what I assumed were his guards. A Wolf pranced around in the cave, which I thought funny and then was shocked when it began casting Healing spells on everyone. Then the Wolf spoke to me, saying I should use my Roots spell to trap them as they try to run off, and with that, it healed me! I jumped up and ran back out into the fight. This went on for some time, people ran down into the den and minutes later would come racing back with a horde after them. Eventually I achieved two more seasons but I was too excited about all the fighting so I stayed! Finally someone began shouting something about a Splitpaw Commander coming and the Wolf raced around healing people.  
  
Someone came running out of the caves, the biggest and meanest Gnoll that I had ever seen was close on their heels. It was big and white. And only the strongest in the area would try to fight him. More Gnolls came rampaging out of the den from below then, running to the fight. I saw a scrawny looking one and cast my magic, thus causing powerful roots to reach out of the very ground and grab hold of the vile beast. It stopped him short. I then used my destructive powers to repeatedly burst him into flames. When I ran out of my mana and charged him and beat him down with my staff, turned… and gasped. I guard stood over me, scowling menacingly. He slammed a paw into my head, sent me sprawling to the ground. I staggered back to my feet and panicked. I looked around for help, more Gnolls were shouting and running from the caves from below.  
  
Then a loud voice echoed through out the entire lair, "I Trannix Darkpaw have embraced the powers of Bertoxxulous!"  
  
I did not hear the rest. The guard hit me again, almost knocking me unconscious. People started shouting about Trannix, some warning others. Most of the more severely wounded started limping out to the Qeynos Hills. More Gnolls ran up from below. People started falling to the ground. Then he came. I knew it was he; for he reeked of evil. Trannix charged from the den and cast his magical spells on people everywhere and lashed out with his paws. He felled more people on his own then the entire horde. I ran for the cave and raced back out into the Qeynos Hills. I ran out to the gray shed and started healing myself and then sat for a bit. I decided I should go sell all the loot I had gathered and then go to Surefall to train and purchase new spells. I was finally at my ninth Season. When I finished purchasing my new spells I ran back to the gray shed outside Black Burrow and sat to study them. When I finished, I noticed the moon was high up and it was late, so I decided to prepare my camp for the night.  
  
But then suddenly; and without any warning at all, before I could even start to prepare my camp, three enormous Gnolls suddenly "popped" right in front of me. They were huge, massive, they must have been god's themselves! I considered them and noticed they had names: Nappy, Reorix, and Flippy. I shouted that there were three new Gnolls outside Black Burrow, and then… Poof! One of them vanished into thin air, another ran off towards the ruins and a third ran off deeper in the hills. People came running.  
  
Suddenly people started shouting, Some mentioned, GM's on a killing spree? What in all of Norrath was a GM, was that some sort of a god, a God Master or something. I jumped up and ran for where the shouting was the fiercest, the ruins. There was Flippy, howling and running in circles. People swarmed around him and then he was dead. We turned and Reorix was right there. Some charged him and suddenly, poof! He vanished. Others shouted about Nappy running amok in the hills and people ran off to find him. I heard someone shout about Reorix near the Black Burrow entrance, so I ran there. On the hill just to the right of the cave stood Reorix, locked in combat with a Barbarian, and he towered above the Barbarian. I ran to help but then Reorix turned on me, nuked me, and then hit me dead faster then I thought would have been possible.  
  
Poof, I was resurrected and pleased to see I had not lost a Season or any experience. I got my corpse back, Reorix and the Barbarian were no where to be seen. People were shouting about Nappy, so I ran to find them. They were near the rode, Nappy was running circles around the bunch that chased him, he ran fast and then would double back and charge through them, hitting as he ran and then would run away from them again. They just couldn't stop him. I thought, maybe my roots spell would help. Or better yet, maybe my new wind spell. I could create a whirlwind to slow him down! I sat to study and organize my spells. More people started shouting about Nappy. He ran off into the hills and the crowd chased after him. When I finished with my spells I jumped up and yelled for where they all had gone. They were at the guard tower now, I ran! When I got there… nothing. I yelled again. They were at the lake! I ran, and again missed them. Finally, people started shouting they needed a Druid to stop Nappy. I realized I was probably the only Druid in the Hills and I couldn't even find them!  
  
Eventually I caught up with the fight, Nappy still going strong so I instantly rooted him in place. The warriors pounced on him. They hacked at him, but he broke my roots and started to run, he could run fast! I blasted him with a huge gust of wind, which slowed him enough to root him again. The Warriors pounced again. I stood there casting my roots over and over and he saw me doing it and he started nuking me like crazy! A cleric ran over and started healing me, so I just kept that mutt rooted in his place as the Warriors swarmed around him and hacked him to pieces. He howled in pain and continuously nuked me and cast all sorts of spells on me, he knew I was holding him there so they could kill him. Finally a quick slash across his gut spilt his innards onto the ground and he collapsed to his knees. A Barbarian took one mighty swing and sent Nappy's head flying from his shoulders. It was finally over. Then someone handed out treasure! They gave me the Coronet of Zaharn and a Jaded Emerald Bracelet, the two together increasing my mana by nearly fifty percent! When everyone had finished showing off their new treasures they all said good bye and went their separate ways. I returned to the gray shed in front of Black Burrow, only then feeling all the fatigue and the lateness of the hour. So I camped for the night.  
  
So, that was the end of my true infancy. I had finally come face to face with the dreaded gods of Norrath themselves. Three of them at once even. I have met several others throughout my travels, usually with a strange green name floating magically above their heads. I have learned since of who they really are, but I still call them gods, for surely they must be with the powers they wield. Once, I even got lost while attempting to enter the Arena at Lake Rathetear. Everything went dark and I thought I had died, forever, never to return to the world of Norrath ever again. However, one of these, God Masters, resurrected me. Just recently, right here in Highpass I cast myself into a tree, and when I attempted to return to myself my treeform stayed! Alas, I could move about but I was still a tree! It was a God Master who came to my aid and cast a spell over me, four times, and turned me back into myself again.  
  
I must finish for the night now someone in the Orc camp needs a healer for their group and they just sent me a message asking if I would like to join with them. Well, I do need money. I got all my Nineteenth season spells except for my port spells, I can't afford them yet and I would like to move on to the Lake of Ill Omen in Kunark. Maybe if I spend some time killing Orcs I can save up some money again.  
  
Well, I ended off the story at my ninth season, don't give up on me yet. It's after my ninth season where the fun in Black Burrow really starts. Till next time, Safe Travels. 


	3. Chapter 3

I left Highpass today, for I had business in North Karana. It didn't take long so I am now sitting under a tree to write a little. It is truly a beautiful day, the sun is high, bright, and hot, yet there is a nice cool breeze over the Karana's today. So where did I leave off…  
  
About half way through my ninth season I was sitting on top of the hill to the left of the Black Burrow entrance as one would approach from the hills. As usual I was busy studing my spell book and enjoying the nice weather when my old friend Kargoth the Dwarven Cleric surprised me! He joked about what a poor Druid I was for not hearing him sneak up on me, but alas, it is much harder to hear while I'm wearing Zaharn's Coronet. Kargoth and I grouped up for a short while, oddly he was still in his fourteenth season, we chatted for a bit and ran around killing Gnolls outside the lair. As night fell we started walking back to the ruins when Gnasher appeared. It was well known throughout Qeynos and the Hills that a Ranger from Surefall Glade had placed a bounty on Gnasher's head. So the two of us, Kargoth and I, wasted no time in attacking Gnasher.  
  
The fight, little more then a mere skirmish hardly lasted very long and we quickly severed the Gnolls head. I tucked it into a bag and I found a note in his hand so I took it as well and we continued to the ruins. There Kargoth stayed for awhile and we killed the many various undead that was repeatedly resurrected there. Besides us there were two others at the ruins, when Kargoth left for the night I noticed that someone from the other group had left, leaving me and one other. A Human Cleric, about the same as me in her Season's, she went by the name of simply, Thehealer. We grouped up and killed more skeletons but soon grew bored and ran into Black Burrow. She led me deep down into the lair itself and we spent some time killing snakes at the top of a ladder. A crooked staircase led up from where we were and at the top of that was a door. Ironically, behind that door, was the opened ceiling room with the pit full of spikes and snakes that I had found when I mistakenly got lost in here at Season 3! We chatted and talked as we killed, at times taking one other into our little group but primarily it was just her and I.  
  
Eventually it was time for her to leave so I set out for Surefall Glade to collect my bounty on Gnashers head and find out about the note he had. The Ranger was ecstatic over finally having Gnasher's head but he soon frowned when I gave him the note. He quickly handed it back and said, "You need to take this to Captain Tillin in South Qeynos immediately! You'll find him on the balcony in the Warriors Guild, now run! Make haste, it's urgent he get this right away!"  
  
So I ran, and I ran. I ran all the way to the Warrior's Guild in South Qeynos, just around the corner from the bank. Tillin thanked me for the note but quickly grew angered at what he read. He called out for an executioner who came running. Tillin barked a few orderes to her and she saluted, then marched off. I decided to follow. She went into Fish's Ale pub near the docks. It looked like a rough place and as soon as she stepped in the barkeep yelled, "Jacob! Their here! Run! Get out of here!" I heard a scuffling of feet and the executioner pushed the drinkers aside and leaped over the bar. I scrambled after her and heard someone in the back shouting at her, "You have no right! I'm innocent! I'll-" I stepped around the corner at that moment. A man cowered in the corner and the executioner had just taken a mighty swing and lopped his head right off. The head bounced into the floor and rolled over to me feet, the body still crouching. The executioner gave it a nudge and it too fell over, blood oozing out all over the floor. She then went and picked up the head, looked at me and gave a harumph sound and marched out. I followed her back to Captain Tillin who mounted the head on a pike just outside the guild hall as a warning. After that I went to the Lion's Mane Inn and got a room for the next. As usuall I attempted to determine the meaning of that feeling when preparing camp. I still can't explain it other then a feeling of as though being transported to some other world.  
  
When I awoke, it seemed as though the world of Norrath had passed months in my absence. I ponder this for a bit but failed to determine an explanation and set out for more adventuring. I first went to the bank to change some of my lower coins in to larger, and to put some of my larger into my vault. I then went to North Qeynos to Sneed's Trading Post and there purchased some more food and water. I then set out for Black Burrow. When I got there I didn't se anyone I knew so I hunted a little on my own. As I made my way around I met a Ranger named Laowen and we decided to start up a group.  
  
We worked well together and he even invited a couple others into the group. We got a Warrior in the group that had us all sit so he could pull Gnolls to us, which worked out quite well. We decided to make our camp on a ledge that a couple snakes slithered around upon. Above us was a bridge like formation and I suddenly realized that this was the spot I had been killed so many times over when I got trapped down here during my 3rd season!  
  
Between the pulls we spent our time killing the giant snakes as they slithered out of a hole in the wall and soon the place reaked of the foul stenched that remains after a battle. We had piles of butchered and charred Gnolls heaped against the walls and we had skinned dozens of snakes. We were just planning a break so our Warrior could run to town and sell his loot when I received a message from Thehealer! She was nearby and on her way to Black Burrow. I sent a message back to her, explaining where we were camped and she soon came and joined us. She and I joked around a little as we waited for pulls and stuff but eventually we all had to leave and camp for the night. The next day I found myself grouped with Laowen again.  
  
Ranger Laowen and I became good friends real fast in Black Burrow. At that time it was mainly he and I who organized the groups and instigated the raids we conducted. Things moved fast, I don't remember much neither of what all we did nor what all was said. Some days I ran alone, soloing the Guardsmen, on other days I joined with either Laowen, Thehealer, or both. Till one day the three of us decided we were ready for the real action. We planned a major raid deep into the heart of Black Burrow itself and planned to take out a whole room full of Elite Guards, rumor had it that even a refugee from another clan was often in attendance. Some even claimed a Shaman of the Sabertooth clan, which occupied Black Burrow, would show up to cast spells on the Elite's and place curses on those who would oppose them. This is how that first bloody battle went.  
  
Laowen and I sat huddled in the corridor just outside the room. Thehealer had not arrived yet so it was just the two of us. We shouted for others to come and join us and eventually several did. We got a Gnomish Magician named Nortin, a Barbarian Warrior, and a Half Elf Paladin.  
  
"I'm going to try to cast Harmony on them before we attack so you guys stay here for a sec." I carefully crept to the corner, peered around it and counted how many we had to deal with and came back saying, "Refugee's closest to the corridor, we got three Elite's and a Commander in the back. At my command you all take the refugee while I try to hold the others at bay, do it quick because I don't know how long I can hold them. Go for the commander next then move on the next closest."  
  
Laowen patted my shoulder and wished me luck as I quickly cast a camouflage over myself, thanking Tunare for the spell as I crept into the middle of the room. The Gnolls couldn't see me. I had a special spell, being a Druid it made me invaluable in these situations. It was called Harmony. As soon as I cast it the room quieted as though the Gnolls mind's had been put to ease, fortunately because casting it caused me to lose my camo! I took a deep breathe to calm myself, knowing the mental link with these Gnolls was fragile. I quickly waved a hand at Laowen who knelt at the edge of the corridor waiting while at the same time calling out "NOW!"  
  
The Barbarian was the first in, swinging his massive and heavy sword in wide arcs above our heads and shouting various curses and battle cries at the Refugee. The first swing spilt the refugee's right shoulder and I suddenly felt the tension in the room as my mental link with it was suddenly snapped. Next came Nortin, bless the little guy for he had with him one of the floating apparitions the Magicians keep as pets. The thing growled and grunted as it repeatedly swung at the refugee with its heavy arms. The Paladin charged in and started attacking then too as Laowen began to cast a spell to snare the refugee. I could feel the other Gnolls as they started to grow agitated and knew my link to them would soon be broken. I quickly turned and cast a burst of flame to envelope the Refugee. The barbarian took a serious blow to his head and I knew he had to be healed, fast. But once that link was broken we would all be dead anyway. The Barbarian began to stagger and I knew I had to act quickly, either renew my link with the other Gnolls before it gave out or heal the Barb.  
  
I quickly renewed my link and was relieved to see Laowen step out of the fight to heal the Barbarian as Nortin began to work some of his own magic. The refugee erupted into a ball of flames and I wanted to retch from the smell of burnt flesh. The Paladin scored a serious blow when he just about severed one of the refugees' arms. It hung useless at the Gnolls side, hanging by a mere flab of flesh. It wanted to run away but Laowen had it ensnared. The barbarian kicked at the refugees' knees, causing it to stagger back a step and loose it's balance. Then Lao stepped in and ran his sword into the beast's back, severing its spine just as the Barbarian ran it through from the front. It dropped to the floor twitching like a fish out of water. My link started to weaken again.  
  
"Get the commander next!" I called out, "Hurry, I can't hold them for very long!"  
  
Nortin wasted no time at all in working his magic on the commander, causing it's link with me to be severed. It started to charge Nortin but his pet swung into action and the others swarmed around it. This time it was the Barbarian who made the crippling blow as a hard swing of his sword cut neatly through the beast's right thigh, severing a leg. Being the Barbarian that he was, he followed his swing through and arced completely back around, swinging in a wide circle and cut the beast right in half, it's bowels spilling out all over the floor around us.  
  
I renewed my link again as the group moved in to the closest Elite. Everything was going fine till then. The Elite's stood too close together. The fight turned out to be too much of a distraction to them. I struggled to hold them, draining my mana empty in the process till finally one of them snapped. I dropped to the floor exhausted, needing to meditate. But then the Elite I lost my hold on attacked me! Nortin turned his attention to it and sent his pet to my aid, working his magic and casting various spells and nukes on the Elite. It hit me hard in the side, knocking the wind out of me and I just managed to parry its next blow with my staff. I then swung hard and cracked the beast on the head. Blood splattered the walls and I saw the Barbarian stagger, knowing he was hurt bad. I tried to heal him but my attacker interrupted my casting, then Nortin's pet turned out to be too much for it to ignore so it turned to fight that.  
  
At that moment the last Elite charged in, attacked the Barbarian, and killed him. The Paladin went running from the room, yelling at us all to run. Nortin did, leaving his pet behind as a distraction. I was weak, out of mana, and had two Elite's on me, so I too turned to run and yelled at Laowen, "Lao! Get out of here!"  
  
I ran like Cazic Thule himself was on my tail, shouting out to warn people of the dangerous procession I led. An Elite gave a mighty blow to the back of my head which sent me spinning for a moment but as I got to the room with the spike pit it was too much for me. The Elite's had cried for help and pulled others in on the chase and I was soon down. Then… POOF! I was resurrected again outside the cave to Surefall Glade I sent messages to my group. The Barbarian was on his way back down from the Highlands near Halas in the north. The Paladin had made it out of Black Burrow, Nortin was still running, as was Lao. I ran for the entrance to Black Burrow. Laowen was there when I arrived but Nortin was not. The Elite's had caught him and beat him down mercilessly. He too was now running back down from the Highlands.  
  
Every one regrouped at the spike pit and I cast a camo on Nortin and the Warrior so they could get their belongings back safely and we all ran back to the Elite Room. It was empty, a blessing from Tunare I believed it to be. I took a seat on a box against the wall, Nortin on the floor next to me, Laowen sat nearby and the Barb and Pally paced the floor. Then suddenly Thehealer stepped into the room and started poking me as I meditated. We rejoiced to have a Cleric in the group and quickly invited her in. The next battle went better, much better.  
  
That wasn't the end of my days in Black Burrow, there were still many more ahead, I had reached my thirteenth season that day in the Elite Room. At one point during a major battle, no one noticed but an old friend suddenly poped in to say hi. A great monk by the name of Buddhisatva from the Warlord's of Steel guild. We had been sending messages since my infancy but I had yet to actually meet him in person.  
  
He looked around the room and decided it would be better if he pulled an Elite off us. He jumped, whirled, kicked, and hit the thing till it ran from him. He chased it down and killed it. He sent me a message moments later, requesting that I urgently join him at the stone Marker at the cross roads going to Qeynos. I told my group I would be right back and went running to see what he wanted. He told a quick story of one of his recent journey's to a place in the north of Antonica. Said he found some special armor for me and gave it to me, the Foreman's Tunic it was called. He then threatened me not to lose it and introduced a friend he had with him, then suddenly drank down a case of beer.  
  
He stumbled around the road in his own state of bliss speaking in a drunken language and occasionally collapsing to the ground. His friend and I chatted for a bit, joked about him being drunk and watched his drunken antics. In his drunken stupor he camped for the night, even though it was in the middle of the day! His friend and I said farewell and I ran back to my group in Black Burrow. Later, when I was at the Lions's Man Inn preparing to make camp for the night I thought about my adventures and knew there would be many more ahead.  
  
Clouds have suddenly filled the sky over the Karana's and thunder is rumbling in the distance. So I suppose I should put my quill and parchment away. I should Gate back to Highpass Hold and make my camp. The rain starts to pour down as I cast my spell. A Griffawn flies by just as I vanish away. The story will continue… 


	4. Chapter 4

There was a big battle in Highpass today, someone was chased by Gnolls all the way to the guard house and at the same time a horde of Orcs came rampaging through the cliffs, also chasing someone to the guard house. Many people who thought they were in the safety of the guards got killed, as well as a number of guards themselves. I managed to slip away and into Highkeep and am now sitting inside in a room at the Inn to write. But I can still hear sounds of battle that emanate from the basement floors as people fight valiantly against Goblins that hide down there. So… back to the story, Black Burrow…  
  
Thehealer grew bored of the hunt and moved on one day. She had long since surpassed me in her seasons, but by a couple. I was looking for someone to group with in Black Burrow when a received I message from her. She had journeyed far out in to the deep Karana's and told me about a village of bird people she had found and begged me to came and join her. So, after one more night of camping the Elite Room, and Laowen had yet to arrive, I choose to go. I visited my friend Sneed in North Qeynos, who cut me a good deal on rations and water so I would have plenty for my journey. I then headed for the bank, first stopping in at the Warriors Guild to give Captain Tillin a bunch of Gnoll teeth, he gave me moonstones in return. I then went to the bank to finalize my financial situation to make me more fit to travel.  
  
Then, I went to Fish's ale. I have mentioned before my fascination with the gods resurrecting certain individuals after death. I had thought that when the barkeep in the back room there was executed after I gave Tillin the note from Gnasher that he would never come back. But… he had. And to make things even more interesting, he gave out free Black Burrow Stout in return for the moonstones that Captain Tillin gave out for the Gnoll Teeth. One would think that, after seeing how the stuff was brewed (see Episode 1) one could never drink it! But damn this liquor is good shit!  
  
Jacob McNeal was there, complaigning about his supply of BB Stout as usual. He gave me my bottles, he must have just had enough and I quickly made my way out, for the word was that the city guards would arrest anyone they caught dealing in the stuff. I then went and bought a new backpack for my travels and headed out. I started early in the morning and ran out to West Karana. I had been there once when I was younger, just out of curiosity but I had gotten mauled by a lion then. They didn't seem to want to bother me now.  
  
After making a few wrong turns and stopping to take in a few sites I arrived at a gypsy camp somewhere in the northern plains just before evening set in. I decided it was a good place to rest and sent Thehealer a message. She asked if I had seen the bridge yet, which I hadn't, then said she couldn't wait to see me. So I started off again. Soon I saw four giant spires raising in the distance. They were enormous, I had never seen anything like them. The road cleared a raise and curved around to go right through the middle of them and there, just past them had to be the bridge with a large tower. I stopped to marvel at the spires and then felt the ground shake. People started shouting about a Hill Giant headed for the spires. I looked around to see what was happening and then I saw it.  
  
  
  
He was the biggest… well. He was not a beast like the Gnolls, nor was he a person, but he was. And he was the biggest person I had ever seen. Then he started running towards the spires, growling and snarling at everyone gathered there. Someone yelled for everyone to run. Some headed for the bridge, others out into the open plains. I ran for the bridge and the giant attack someone behind me. I heard the hapless soul cry out in pain and turned to heal them, the ever-helpful Druid of Tunare that I was. It was almost my undoing. Whom ever the Giant had attacked was either already dead, or faking death, and the Giant bore down on me. He hit me harder then I had ever been hit before. The force of his blow threw me up against one of the spires. He made to step on me and… he then suddenly burst into a massive explosion.  
  
Standing on the top of the bridge tower was a Wizard. He had to have been a powerful one for the Giant fell after that first blast. I watched the Wizard as I lay against that spire, and he suddenly vanished into thin air, only to reappear between all the spires and I knew then that truly he was indeed powerful to flaunt his powers in that manner. He simply walked away, leaving the corpse and all its valuables behind him. People began to gather around it after he had left. He shouted three words as he proceeded over the raise just up the road.  
  
"Hill Giant's Dead."  
  
I sat for a bit to recuperate and when I felt strong enough I headed down the slope to the tower bridge. I spent some time exploring the tower, found a merchant on the second floor and the Captain of the Guard on the top from which I had a spectacular view. I wondered the top floor, looking out from every direction and then decided to cross the bridge. On the other shore the ground sloped upward slightly and I took off in a run, it was getting late in the hours and the moon was raising high. I didn't know, and couldn't tell in the dark that there were undead ruins directly ahead. I just saw the camp fires of all the people camping the ruins and I ran straight through.  
  
Before I could do anything skeletons rose out of the ground all around me and started groping for my legs as they came. There must have been a dozen or more of them and they all came clamoring after me, bones creaking and filling the air with their annoying cackling. A couple swiped at my legs as they crawled out of the ground and one of them got hold of my ankle, tripping me up. They were on me before I could even think about getting up. Before long I found myself standing outside Surefall Glade once again. Grumbling, I sent Thehealer a message telling her of what happened, this obviously dismayed her, and then ran for the Qeynos city gates and bartered for a SOW to speed me along my way so I could find my belongings. I fellow Druid of Surefall was more then happy to provide me with one for free.  
  
My trip back was much quicker and shorter and I wondered why I hadn't gotten a SOW the first time out. I didn't stop and talk to the gypsies this time, nor did I stop to admire the spires or the view from the bridge tower. I just ran across the bridge and went in search of my corpse. I had made it some ways past the ruins before the skeletons were able to bring me down. It took some time, and it was dark which made searching even harder but eventually I found it.  
  
It was about dawn when I found what obviously must have been the village of the bird people, and the bird people themselves patrolled the lands everywhere. I soon learned these birds were called Aviaks. The village consisted of many various structures built high up in the trees and interconnected with ramps and walkways. Amazingly, the Aviaks seemed to not mind my presence amongst them. Besides all the bloody fighting the place seemed an idea vacation spot.  
  
I stood under the central tree and began looking around for Thehealer, I still hadn't told her I had arrived. I spotted her running around with a group of people and went to surprise her. She was overjoyed that I had finally come and quickly invited me to join her group, which consisted of a few gruff fighters several season older then me, as was she at the time. I was only in my thirteenth and she was in her seventeenth. When the warrior in the group pulled a few Aviaks over to fight I quickly went to work at snaring and rooting the beast but found it resisted the spells. I then attempted to blast it with fire and again it resisted. I grew frustrated and throw everything I had in my spell book at it, and every spell I used was resisted, which was just as well since the group had already killed them. I figured that maybe the beasts were bit too string for me and I decided to try my spells on a smaller one.  
  
The next fight I again tried to root, to no avail and instead engaged the creature with my staff but it seemed I did very little harm compared to the others in the fight. After that kill someone pulled in a smaller Aviak and I thought, "Yes! Now I'll really show them!"  
  
But nothing. Then our barbarian started complaining and she left the group, someone else said they had to camp for the night and we decided we needed to find more help. But Thehealer had already run off to find a new pull and came back with nearly every Aviak that was within sight quick on her heels! The group attacked, a few others that passed us by attempted to pull some off us, but then someone died, then another, and many began to flee. Somehow, in the middle of all the chaos the rest of our group fell apart and everyone took off running. TheHealer told me to follow her and we ran. She led me far into the hills and said she was looking for the entrance to Lake Rathetear, for the Aviaks wouldn't chase us into there. But eventually we found we were lost and we had no more pursuers so we just sit there and talked. Only then did I realize the hour and my fatigue. I decided to Gate myself back to Surefall and camp for the night. She was sad that I wanted to leave.  
  
So I explained, "I don't think I'm really doing any good here, they were all resisting every one of my spells. Maybe when I get my new ones next season…"  
  
"You'll have your own SOW then and you'll be able to bind yourself here then!" She explained rather excitedly.  
  
Yes, and next time I'll bring Laowen with me, be just like old times. But the hour is really very late, I need to go."  
  
She hugged me and then suddenly said, "Oh! I almost forgot! I went to Infected Paw the other day and got all sort's of stuff, almost died in there but managed to get out with some nice stuff, here look!"  
  
She showed me all sorts of fancy weapons, one of which was a Fine Steel Great Staff that she gave to me, even though I had already gotten my hands on a Runed Totem Staff from Black Burrow. I thanked her for it and she gave me another hug, waved goodbye and I Gated away from her. I sat where I popped , sent her a message telling her good night and made my camp for the night. The next time I woke I had received a message telling me that I now had a brother! Wow! I was shocked. Then I learned that he was an Ogre… I wondered what strange force could possibly cause such a thing to happen, and then I really started to wonder about who was responsible for my birth. I had always felt that my friend Buddhisatva had something to do with it in some way.  
  
My brother's name was Krog, though when the god's asked him what name he wanted to have he eagerly proclaimed, "Me Krog!" So… they gave him the name Mekrog as his given blue magical name. He was obviously quite stupid but thought he was smart. Apparently, somehow in his infancy he stumbled somewhere in the Feerott and fell on his head, and… according to him a Lizardman attacked him and he lost an eye. He seemed quite mad and bent in vengence against the Lizardmen of Feerott and I realized I could give him my Fine Steel Great Staff.  
  
I checked to see if Laowen was around and he was not so I decided to hunt a few Gnolls on my own down in Black Burrow. I spent several days doing this and soon, finally reach my fourteenth season! Fortunately I had already purchased that circle of spells and had them stashed away in the bank so I ran off to get them. After studying all of them I ran out into the fields north of Qeynos and ran around killing every bat I could find just to get some bat wings for the spell of Levitation. Another new spell I was excited about was one that would cast me into a tree. I tried that spell out right away when no one was looking, right in the middle of the road! I certainly confused a lot of youths that ran around out there.  
  
I stood there in the middle of the road as a tree and nuked everything that came near me. I even killed some beetles chasing a poor fellow back to the gates and when he turned around, he could not find anyone to thank for saving him! It was some of the older travelers in the area that recognized me for who I was, a fourteenth season Druid of Tunare having a little fun in the fields normally meant for people very much younger. Some of my other new spells allowed me to buff people too. I could make them stronger and make their skin harder and I managed to make a little money off these, even though they seemed to fizzle a lot more then I actually managed to cast them.  
  
It was later that day I got a message from Nortin the Mage! I had grouped with him a number of times in the past, he said he was up in near Permafrost and wanted to know if I'd like to join him and group with him. I dug into my backpack and found a map of the area I had acquired and told him I would love to visit him up there. So I set out for the Everfrost Mountains. I had to go through Black Burrow to get there and when I arrived I hadn't taken into account the cold temperatures, and it was indeed cold! I waited by the fires that burned near the cave that led back into the mountains to Black Burrow and Nortin said he would come for me. But eventually he got tied up with his group and was unable to come. So I decided to try going by my map.  
  
As it turned out, I got lost. It was snowing, hard. I was cold. And I was starting to run out of food. Nortin kept in contact with me regarding my situation. We I told him I had found what appeared to be some sort of a temple that resembled bleacher seating he laughed, said he knew exactly where I was and told me to stay there. He explained I had wandered far off from where I needed to be, and truly it took him a good while to get to me. When he did he had me follow him back to his camp, which really was quite far from where I had been. He introduced me to his friends and they pulled some of the queerest creatures I had yet to see. Some were large, very large and had long snouts hanging down between two sharp tusks and thick heavy fur hung matted all about them. For the first time I saw some Orcs and Goblins as well.  
  
We fought well and I had gained a good amount of experience in the process but finally someone made one bad pull and everything went bad. One of the big hairy beast with the big snouts came straight on me and I knew he could kill me easily. Then everyone else in the group tried in vain to taunt the creature away and I kept backing away from it, trying to root it in it's place but it's massive legs kept breaking loose from the roots. Even my Snare could not slow the beast. It trumpeted out a loud blast and barreled down on me. I was dead in moments and only again after arriving back in Surefall Glade did I notice the lateness of the hour. I ran to the bank and got my spare leather tunic so I would not completely freeze when I went for my belongings.  
  
I then set out once again, this time following Nortins advice and staying an the "right" close to what he called the "wall" and pretty soon I found him and my corpse. I stayed just long enough to say my good byes and Gated back to Surefall to prepare my camp for the night, Nortin of course understood as he too wanted to make his camp. The next day I was reunited with Laowen back in Black Burrow.  
  
He and I had decided to move on from that dreaded Elite room, surprising enough we found yet bigger game to hunt. For word had it that a Commander of the Splitpaws' dwelled deeper in the den. We found his lair, heavily guarded of course. But we had also found people willing to help hunt this vile beast with us. Those fights were both horrible and profitable Eventually I decided it was time and I traveled down to Oogok to visit my brother Krog, I wanted to give him this Fine Steel Great Staff.  
  
My journey through the Karana's was much the same as it had been the previous time and when I arrived at the Aviak village I sought directions to Lake Rathetear. I was quickly pointed in the correct direction and ran off that way. Some Splitpaws and Undead guarded the docks but I slipped by them easily and ran across the water with my Levitate spell. I found the entrance to the Rathe Mountains quite easily but then the Orc's and bandits that stood watch nearby by saw me and gave chase. Fortunately, I had bound myself at the large stone bridgein the northern plains of the Karana's so my run back to the lake didn't take long. I rebound myself just inside the Mountains of Rathe and set out again.  
  
My journey through the Mountains took longer then I had hoped, for I got too easily lost and somehow turned completely around and ended up near where I had started several times. Eventually I managed to find the path into the Feerott. I felt I had made a mistake from the moment I entered that dreaded forest. It was dark, foreboding and echoed with the sounds of what had to have been some poor soul being tortured and tormented to death, very slowly. I followed the path according to Krog's directions and found a bridge, from there he suggested I camouflage myself for I may be killed on sight in his lands. I slipped into Oggok too easily and found a safe place to give him the Fine Steel Great Staff I had brought with me, he in turn left for me a new bag full of bat wings.  
  
Much later, after I had Gated back to Surefall he had written to me saying that he had organized a raid on the Lizardmen Camps and razed every single one along the river that ran through the Feerott. One after the other he went on a rampage. I heard he showed them no mercy and just about butchered them, and that every Lizardman he killed he plucked out one of its eyes before bashing it to death. He wrote that he soon wanted to come north, and fight in the famed Black Burrow as I had been doing. This humored me, an Ogre in Black Burrow, for I still had yet to see one there myself. Oh, I saw a troll there one day, but I also saw its corpse outside the Qeynos city Gates later that same day.  
  
Well, it is time to move on for now. I am growing tired and wary and I must set this quill and parchment aside for awhile. I am in my twentieth season and I am growing tired of Highpass Hold. I feel I must soon move on from here, Laowen already has, but that is for the next story. Farewell friends and till next time, Safe Travels. 


	5. Chapter 5

Well, many things have changed since I last wrote. I shall try to get as much in as I can but some are for a future story. I would tell you how my last days in Black Burrow went, but they past much like any other. Only difference was that Laowen and I began hunting the Commander himself. Rumor's were abound of another Refugee somwhere in the Burrow, only it was a Commander of the Splitpaw's and not the Sabertooth's. It was he that we hunted. The battle's were indeed the bloodiest of all that we had been in. I'd tell you about it, but it's time to move on, for my writings need to catch up with my current activities.  
  
I am preparing to leave Highpass Hold soon. I am sitting in the safety of a rented room in Highkeep, outside in the pass the Orc's have been stirred into a frenzy and many people have fallen victim to their brutal attacks. Laowen has moved on to the Lake of Ill Omen and I wish to join him soon, but first I must return to Black Burrow once again, for my brother, Krog requires my assistance. I had spent quite a bit of time in Highpass collecting chain armor for him off the Gnolls that I killed here. It didn't take me long to get the pieces to him. Tunare bless the big oaf for he isn't as stupid as I thought, he left me a bag with a full stack of bat wings. However, my return journey is for another story. Therefore, back to where I had left off last time.  
  
Laowen and I made our plans to leave the Qeynos area the night before we would. Thehealer was anxious to see us and waited near the Aviak village in the southern plains of the Karana's. I was at my fifteenth season, as was he, and she. Well, she never did tell anyone how old she was when she grouped with people in the Karana's and so fell in with groups older then her, pulling things that advanced her quickly on in her seasons. She was in her seventeenth and nearing her eighteenth when we left.  
  
After visiting Sneed in town and stocking up on plenty of food and drink we set out very early in the morning, for I didn't want to cross the western expanse of the Karana's at night. Thankfully, Tunare had recently blessed me at my fourteenth season with a special gift, the Spirit of the Wolf. By casting this on any other or me it would greatly speed us on our way. However, we took a wrong turn in the early morning hours since it was still dark. I had missed the second marker along the road pointing the way to Highpass, which was the road we had wanted. It was light by the time we found our way back and took the correct road. We arrived at the gypsies in the northern plains of the Karana's just in time for a short break and some lunch. While I sat and played with a beautiful wolf that I had befriended Laowen went around and flirted with the gypsies. But eventually I turned the wolf loose and we continued onward.  
  
When we got to those four massive spires by the bridge Laowen again had to stop just for the view, he was awed by the sight and even ran to the top of the bridge tower. We spent just about an hour checking things out then crossed the bridge into the southern plains. This time I avoided the ruins where I had been jumped the last time I came out here. Thehealer had not arrived yet but I had sent her messages, the night before telling her of our plans, which were to first go to the Lake in the Rathe Mountains. People spoke of an arena there that was safe to bind oneself. Being a Druid, I could freely bind myself anywhere I chose to, but Laowen could not. So I had to get him bound in case he died.  
  
I had only been to this lake once, one that some called Rathetear, other just plain, Lake Rathe. Fortunatly I had some general idea of where I needed to go. We managed to sneak by the Gnolls and Undead that guarded the dock, boarded a dingy and started rowing. The dingy was slow and when we caught sight of the other shore line we jumped and swam the rest of the way in. This is where the scariest moment in my life occurred.  
  
We asked someone sitting in a cave on the top of a hill if we were at the arena, she said it was inside the cave. I thank her and we went in. But then suddenly without any warning, just before I entered the arena everything went pitch black. I felt as though I had actually died, and not in the normal way where one is resurrected at a bind point. I tried in vain to return to the waking world, but could not. It would seem that I was forever lost to the world of Norrath.  
  
Then I felt my consciousness slipping into another body, a new one it would seem that spawned back in Surefall Glade. After running out into the hills this "new" person sent messages; first to Laowen to appraise him of my plight and then to my good friend Buddhisatva, for advice. The monk said one thing, petition. This "new" person would have to beseech the aid of the God Masters themselves on my behalf, but they never responded. I could tell he tried hard to find one but instead fell into contact with a Guide of Norrath. This Guide explained the God Masters were not available at the time and their aid would have to be sought the next day.  
  
Ironically, my brother Krog managed to eventually make contact with them the next day. He even advanced a season while waiting. But eventually a God Master named Nicolah did contact him, gave him advice and not too long after that I was suddenly returned to Norrath with a poof! It would seem that somehow I had been "stuck" between the Lake and the Arena, whatever that means. All I know is that the God Master had instructed Krog to … ah, well. I guess the best way to put it was that he was told to destroy both the Lake and the Arena. I have no idea how such an act could have been accomplished though I feel as though it must have been done in some other world. Perhaps this same world that I feel myself slipping to when I camp for the night. But it was done nevertheless and the next time I tried to return to Norrath the Lake and Arena were mysteriously rebuilt and I arrived in the Arena.  
  
I rejoiced, cried out so that all in the Lake could hear my joy and then climbed to the highest point I could outside the Arena and sat there for a long while, looking out over the lake. Eventually I sent a messages to Buddhisatva who was glad to hear of my return, and then another message to Laowen, who had found his way back to the plains in Northern Karana. I guess the big stone bridge and the giant Spires appealed to him. Thehealer was no where to be found so I ran off to join Lao.  
  
We spent days after hunting in the lands around those spires. Soon the Thehealer returned, happy to hear of how close we were and ran back up to join us, she and I talked a lot over those days. The three of us hunted the giant beetles that roamed the lands here and even a Griffawn or two, we had a couple others in our group every now and then, which helped. But as the days went by Laowen soon grew bored of the area. Thehealer was in the lands across the bridge and we decided to join her. She said she had something wonderful to show us. So, at the end of the bridge our group sat while Lao and a Warrior hunted prey to pull back to us. Thehealer poked me from behind and when I turned she was floating. Someone had given her a Levitate I thought. But then she showed me a magical cloak she had found in the Gnoll den known as Infected Paw, the lair of the Split Paw's themselves. It was truly a magical cloak for it gave the wearer infinite charges of Levitate! We hugged each otherin greeting and talked for a moment and when I turned around I saw a Dark Elf standing right in front of me, all clad in shiny, yet scary golden armor. He held the most magnificent sword I had ever seen, and it glowed brightly. But there was something unusual about this Dark Elf. I knew his name.  
  
Nicolah.  
  
But that couldn't be, for this Dark Elf's name floated bright blue above his head, just like the rest of us and rumor had it that a God Master's name was green. But sure enough, when I asked my groupmates to confirm the name they all agreed it was Nikolah. We all debated whether this was the God Master that I knew of. Someone hailed him but was ignored. The Dark Elf was just standing there as though he were lost in some other world of thought. I realized that I had never had to chance to thank Nikolah for bringing me back into the world of Norrath and sent this same Dark Elf a message.  
  
"I'm standing right next to you, just turned around and saw you standing there. If your who I think you are then you resurrected me days ago when I was lost from this world and I just wanted to say thanks."  
  
To my utter surprise he replied with a simple, "Your welcome."  
  
My group and I argued over this for a couple minutes and then suddenly, the Dark Elf's name changed from blue to green. Some people grew feared of him and backed away. Others stared in awe at him. It was at that time that I realized that Thehealer had yet to speak a word. Nikolah suddenly went poof and she started crying. He had taken her magic cloak away from her, something about it not being allowed in Norrath anymore and the God Masters had thought they had taken them all away years ago. And to make things worse, in her pouting and fuming she suddenly lost her link to the world of Norrath. Sadly, I never saw nor heard from her again after that. I spent weeks hunting in the lands north of the bridge, in hopes that she would eventually return. Lao had even moved on to Highpass, but still I stayed and hunted the various giant beetles that roamed the lands.  
  
Krog wrote to me one day that he had managed to travel, by himself the whole way, from Oggok to Qeynos. He found the guards there didn't like him very much and had to hire someone to bind him along the city walls far off from the gates. But he went there because he was inspired by my adventures in Black Burrow, and… well, another Ogre had told him that Gnoll meat tasted good. I told him that if he killed enough Gnolls that eventually some of the guards would let him in the city. His journey inspired me and I finally decided to leave the Karana's. It had been weeks since Thehealer vanished and I wanted to move on, it was also about this time that the gypsies in the northern plains announced that they would allow people to be bound to their camp.  
  
The entrance to Highpass was high up on a ridge in the cliffs far in the east of the Karana's. I found Lao on a ledge, fighting… well, what else but Gnolls. We spent a number of days killing these Gnolls and soon he moved on again. I arrived in Highpass one day to find he had sailed to Kunark. He wrote to me about a huge lake he found out there where he was getting rich very quick, it was called Ill Omen.  
  
I thought it a grim name and wondered what it meant but Lao had told me how wonderful it was I decided I would have to go there. I was only in my seventeenth season by then but getting close to my eighteenth. I decided I would go at my twentieth, one season after I get my new circle of spells that included four special ones that would teleport me to four different locations of Norrath.  
  
I received a message from Kargoth one day, he was going to be in the Qeynos area and he knew I had begun to develop an interest in his Guild. He wanted to know if Krog was interested since the big guy was in the same area.. I thought about it and realized the dumb oaf really wouldn't care either way. To him it would just be more people to complain about his hunger to. Tunare forgive me but I swear he never gets enough to eat, even when he has a full stack of food and drink he still wants more! Well, I made my camp for the night and when I returned the next day I learned that Krog had eagerly joined the Guilty Pleasures guild and was quite happy with it.  
  
It was a happy day for me as well. I had finally reached my nineteenth season, got most of my new spells. The group I had joined for that day had hunted a specific Gnoll, one who had a name that I can't remember now except that he had on him a special shield called a Cracked Darkwood and everyone wanted one. When we found the Gnoll and killed him our group leader picked up the shield and told everyone we had to roll our magic dice for it. My dice landed a split second before everyone else's. But then there was silence for about a minute. My dice landed on a perfect one hundred out of a hundred!  
  
"Um." I finally said, "Do you want me to roll that again?"  
  
"No. Just never scene a roll come up like that before." Someone replied and the leader simply handed me the shield while someone else congratulated me. I sent Buddhisatva a message telling him of my prize, he was indeed happy to hear about it. When I told Lao about it he said, "Cool! So you coming out here yet?" I laughed at him, told him to give me a few more days. I was still unable to afford all of my new circle of spells. I had obtained all but the teleports. The next day I found myself hunting the Orcs of Highpass for the first time. I didn't like the way the terrain looked around their camp.  
  
We were in a pass between two cliffs. The Orcs kept watch from a ledge high above; they would see us before we would see them. My group had me camouflage them so we could get into position but or Rangers camo wore off too soon and she didn't tell me that she were going to need a new one. The Orcs, three of them, fell upon her in a savage frenzy and beat her down to her knees in a matter of seconds. Our Cleric scrambled onto a nearby boulder to get a better view of the fighting area and healed the Ranger. Then the two warriors we had came charging in yelling and screaming various curses and battle cries. We had an Enchanter too, but he ran behind the boulder to hide. He hadn't had time to meditate and wasn't ready. Then two more Orcs came rampaging around the corner. I turned my attention to them, managed to Root one and our Ranger who crawled out from the fight after the Warriors had taunted the Orcs off her got up and snared the other one.  
  
I called on Tunare to blast the heathen with a careless bolt of lightning and the targeted Orc screeched in pain but the blast also broke the Roots and it charged me down. Then three more came running from another direction. It was clearly a classic ambush and the Orcs had executed it well. My attacker beat me down in seconds. Our warriors had killed one of the three they had, but our Cleric ran out of mana keeping them alive. Our Enchanter fell prey to the three new Orcs who saw him meditating behind the boulder. The Ranger took off running for the Kithicor Forest that was very close by. One of the warriors who wasn't in good shape ran after her. I got beat so bad it killed me, but fortunately I had bound myself in the guardhouse weeks before. After my resurrection I learned my group had fallen into complete disarray. The Ranger and Warrior had made it safely out to the Kithicor Forest, the other Warrior got killed, but he too was bound in the guard house. The Cleric was running for the forest and the Enchanter was killed.  
  
Fortunately the Cleric, who was the group leader made it safely out. The Enchanter however was bound in the northern plains of the Karana's and decided not to return and instead to make his camp for the night rather then travel all the way back. Somehow, I can't seem to remember how though, we all managed to get back together and retrieve our belongings from the Orcs camp, all of us that except for the Enchanter.  
  
The Cleric shouted for more people to join us and soon we had a full group, also by that time another full group was camping the Orcs further up the pass, closer to the guards, which helped us a lot. The fights went smoother and more controlled and we gained a lot of loot out of it. It didn't take long till I reached my twentieth season. After the fight the gods blessed me with an addition to my name, of my own choice. That was when I became Ambrosius. Somehow, though I don't know how I had known of the name from some other world, and knew it to be the name of a great and powerful leader. But that is a completely different story all together, from another time, and from another place, in some far off world…  
  
I chose to advance a good ways towards my next season before journeying to Kunark, least I am killed there so I stayed in Highpass for a few days later. Then one day something totally unexpected happened. I wasn't even planning on doing very much fighting that day, maybe just to visit the merchants in Highkeep, but I received a message from Krog. It seemed he knew of my interest in the Guilty Pleasures guild and was sending the guild leader herself, a powerful Dark Elf named Telexia, out to Highpass to invite me! She met me just outside the guard house. After I had accepted the invite she asked if I could help her find her way out. In my excitement I forgot to ask her where she wanted to go and led her to the wrong exit, back out to the Karana's when she had wanted to get to Kithicor! By the time I managed to get back into Highpass from the Karana's she had already turned around and was finding her own way to Kithicor. I apologized for leading her astray and she waved it off as though it was nothing to her and wished me well. I then thanked her for the invite and decided to go slaughter a few Gnolls. I gained a fair amount of the Chain Armor the Gnolls dropped and realized it would be good armor for Krog. I decided I would give it to him. I had enough loot and money now so I could afford my new teleport spells and decided to set out for Qeynos and give Krog the armor pieces and maybe ask around about the new spells. But I'll save that tale for the next story.  
  
So… here we are, on the verge of my journey to Kunark. I have finally joined Guilty Pleasures and I have yet to regret the decision, Kargoth and Buddhisatva were right, the Guild is indeed fun. Buddhisatva apparently was familiar with Guity Pleasures as his wife knew of Telexia. Also, an… ah, acquaintance of his and Kargoth's, a powerful Mage by the name of Mierta Navarre is also a member of Guilty Pleasures. I have yet to meet him but both Kargoth and Buddhisatva assure me I may soon. I must leave the story here for now… for there are rumors within the guild that tell of War with another… 


End file.
